Portal 2(PS3/Steam) and Rayman Origins(PS3) continue to amaze me. Both titles, in completely different ways, aren’t just a blast to play… they teach me things about game design and design in general. They are engrossing, masterful works.

I don’t think it’s an accident that most of these titles are portable, with shorter play sessions. When I was in school, I could devote whole weekends to uncovering every unlockable in some sprawling epic. Today, every hour I spend playing games is an hour I’m not making games… or websites, or apps, or whatever.